Distress calls, mourning and search for answers: How the California boat fire unfolded

A Labor Day weekend scuba excursion in open water near Santa Cruz Island, about 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles, ended in tragedy after a boat carrying more than three dozen people caught fire overnight.

Authorities reported in a press conference Tuesday that the remains of 20 victims had been recovered, including 11 females and 9 males. Fourteen victims remain missing.

Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the fire. Authorities said Tuesday that there was no indication that an explosion had occurred. Passengers were unable to get out because both the main stairwell and escape hatch were likely blocked by fire. It is unclear whether passengers were actually asleep when they died, U.S. Coast Guard Captain Monica Rochester said.

Here's what we know about how the tragedy unfolded:

A fire overtook the Conception early Monday morning. The vessel was anchored off Santa Cruz Island.(Photo: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/SANTA BARBARA COUNTY FIRE)

Saturday, August 31 — Conception leaves Santa Barbara Harbor

4 a.m. The boat "Conception" leaves Santa Barbara Harbor for a recreational scuba diving trip, going on to tour Santa Cruz Island’s south side that afternoon. On board the vessel charted by Truth Aquatics are six crew members and 33 passengers.

11 p.m. Conception stops for the night on the island’s east side.

Sunday, September 1 — Conception continues island tour

Conception tours Santa Cruz Island’s northwest side before looking for a place to dock for the night near the island.

Monday, September 2 — A fire sinks Conception

12:05 a.m. According to MarineTraffic.com, Conception's last recorded location was near Platts Harbor. Law enforcement later confirmed the boat docked 20 yards from the shore of Santa Cruz Island.

Around 3 a.m. Asleep on another boat, the Grape Escape, Bob Hansen and his wife awoke to knocking on the side of their vessel. Five crew members had escaped in a dingy. In the distance, Hansen could see Conception fully ablaze.

"They were not just in shock but several were crying,’’ said Bob Hansen, 70. “One guy was in a tremendous amount of pain (with a broken leg). The captain was all shook up. Nothing can prepare you for that. For myself, it was like, ‘I can’t do anything here. I’m freaking helpless.’ It’s like an airplane (crash). What are you going to do after it’s already hit the ground?’’

Instead of heading back toward the Conception, Hansen said the boat's captain suggested he contact the Coast Guard instead.

3:15 a.m. A distress call is made to the Coast Guard. Authorities later said a call was made from the Conception and others from the Great Escape. In audio of a call on Broadcastify that authorities suggested may have been edited to combine multiple calls, only the Coast Guard dispatcher can be heard, not the responses.

The dispatcher asks if passengers are trapped and if there's an escape hatch.

3:30 a.m. The Coast Guard arrives on scene and begins to fight the fire.

7:20 a.m. Conception sinks in 64 feet of water off the coast of Santa Cruz Island.

8:40 a.m.James Kohls arrives at the U.S. Coast Guard Station Channel Island, waiting to hear from his brother Mike, who he says is a cook and a deckhand on the Conception.

"I haven't heard from anybody," Kohls said.

9 a.m. At a press conference, the Coast Guard says that 34 people are unaccounted for and that shoreline searches on the island are underway. The department also says that the five crew members were asleep on the top deck while passengers were asleep below deck.

11:15 a.m. The Coast Guard announces that four bodies have been found near the Conception.

4 p.m. At an afternoon press conference, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown says four more bodies have been found, increasing the death toll to eight victims.

9:44 p.m. The Coast Guard says that 25 bodies have been found, but 9 remain still missing.

Tuesday, September 3 — Mourning and search for answers

7:15 a.m. A memorial on the Santa Barbara dock entrance, which began the night before, continues to grow.

9:40 a.m. The Coast Guard suspends search effort after search via air, water and ground was conducted over a 160-mile area, according to Capt. Monica Rochester.

10:00 a.m. At a press conference, Sheriff Brown says no additional survivors have been found, adding that the victims ranged from age 17 to 60, with the majority being from the Bay Area.

Brown indicated that one crew member had been asleep in the passenger's quarters and that the five surviving crew members would be formally interviewed by the Sheriff's Office on Tuesday. He said there was no indication passengers got onto the deck and that it "appeared" the victims had most likely been trapped by fire.

Capt. Rochester added that the ship would not have had locked doors and also had firefighting equipment aboard when it was last inspected by the Coast Guard.

3:20 p.m. At a press conference by the National Transportation Safety Board, board member Jennifer Homendy said the organization's investigation would include collecting perishable evidence, talking to parties involved and asking for the public's help in providing them with any other details, such as photos or videos of the vessel.

Homendy said such investigations can take anywhere from one to two years, but that she was "100 percent confident" her organization would determine how and why the fire began and what would be needed to prevent such an event from happening again.